Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Antonella's Home In Bologna

I have been gone with a Youth
Conference, camping with the youth from
our church, but I am back for a few days
before I take the Young Women from church
to Lake Powell next week.  

I wanted to continue my
trip to Paris and Italy by showing you
Antonella's home.  Remember I promised
to show you her kitchen.  My husband had
commented on the huge pans she cooked with
and mentioned the usually little Italian kitchens
so she invited us over to see her home, and
especially her kitchen. 


As you enter the large doors to Antonella's
building, typical of old Bologna, you enter
this gorgeous colonade.  This is a very old
lovely building.


This fabulous courtyard is opposite the
colonade.  We had stopped at a flower
shop to bring Antonella some fresh flowers.
Amanda is standing by the fountain holding
the flowers.


She not only has the beautiful courtyard in the entry
colonade, but another one right off the living room
which you can see through this wonderful glass-filled
arched window.

This is the courtyard that her living room
faces.  What a fun enclosed place to enjoy
peace in the city or to have your children play.
This is Tonya's oldest.



Through the glass-filled arch you are greeted with
the most beautiful turquoise living room.  I adored
the gorgeous color of these huge couches.  There 
were touches of turquoise in the wool rug and in the
art on the walls.

The ceiling in the living room was magnificent
with fabulous detail.


Speaking of details, one of my favorite is
the circle of turquoise colored stones around
the brass circumference of this crystal chandelier.

The room was elegant yet inviting and warm.


She also had a family room or sitting room in a bright
yellow that was also absolutely stunning.  That is
Victoria sitting on the couch.  Antonella's manservant
served us chilled water.  It is very unusual to have
chilled water in Italy.  Mostly it is served room 
temperature.


Isn't the ceiling in this room wonderful too?


Although all of the other rooms are very spacious,
her kitchen was typically very small.  


But she proudly showed us where she kept her restaurant
size pans in an adjoining storage room,



and one additional storage room for her fine
china.  Antonella let us know that she often
cooks for 45 in that kitchen and that is why
she has such large pots and pans.
What a treat to visit this fabulous home.


Then we were off to the busy market area
of downtown Bologna.  Stores and shops are
closed on Sunday so on Saturday morning 
the narrow streets and shops are filled with
people shopping for their food for Saturday
and Sunday.


These are the stores where Victoria and Antonella
bought the food for our cooking classes.




The fruits and vegetables are just gorgeous.


There is fresh seafood of all kinds.


The butcher was having a little fun here with the
pig's head and a beret.


After a lunch break we headed back for our second 
cooking lesson at Tonya's house.  Notice Antonella's
huge pan in this photo.

We then went home to make
Chicken Cacciatora
(Hunter's wife's chicken - they were quick to point
out that this was feminine, not Cacciatore - masculine!)


Fresh beans with tomatoes


and a Flourless Chocolate Cake.


 (Here we are in front of the church building
on Sunday morning.)

We decided to go out to dinner and save this
meal for Sunday after church.  We invited four
missionaries from our church, The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to eat the meal
with us.  In many areas of the world where 
missionaries from our church serve, they are fed
by the members every day or have someone who
cooks a main meal for them.  Here in Bologna
the guys cook for themselves so they
were very grateful.  


They got to sample some
of the pork roast and the semifreddo left from
the first cooking school day also.  They said
it was the best food they had eaten in Italy.

I have to make a note here that the missionaries
translated the church service for us too.  That 
was very nice of them.


The missionaries left to right are
Elder Rich, Elder Lehnardt, Elder Dunshee and
Elder Duersch.  Tonya's son is enjoying being
with the big guys.  Elder is an office held in the
priesthood and a title, not their first names.

We still have Florence and our return to
Paris for one night.  It is fun writing
about our wonderful trip.  Hope you
are enjoying it with me.

Just a quick note
we found
Amarena Fabbri online!


Just Google it for several different sizes and
sources.  It is pricey, around $21 for 21 oz.,
but it was $15 for 21 oz.
there in Italy.  It is made in Bologna and
imported.  It is well worth splurging and
is certainly cheaper than going there!











Jacqueline
Jacqueline

Chocolat - French for Chocolate. I adored chocolate from a young age when I had to sneak in the cupboard to find where my mother had hidden the Nestle's Chocolate Chips. Having read about the famous chocolat shoppes in Paris, when I finally got there I was determined to try a chocolate from every Paris shoppe. I invite you to share my adventures in creating, in travel, and in life.

19 comments:

  1. I was so excited to see a new post from you about this adventure. Your photos so lovely and that chandelier wowie! I love it! Keep safe best fun to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a wonderful visit that must have been to such a fabulous house. When we were in Italy many years ago we were told that it is quite special to be invited into a home as most people entertain in restaurants - home is for family.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am really really enjoying your posts..You all look great..I love all the rooms you have shared with us..Love how she is so organized..and the storage too..A courtyard..how romantic!

    I made your bolognese..but w/out the pancetta:( Will post soon..it was delicious regardless.

    Thank you for these beautiful posts..

    Great flowers you offered also..what a keeper the blue and white at the end..Trip of a lifetime:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am drooling over that house! Everything just looks so much prettier in Europe. I am going to try out your recipes once I am feeling better. Thanks for posting your lovely pics!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great, great photos. I feel as if I was there. That apartment was decorated so beautifully. It is great all the good you do for others, too. xo,

    ReplyDelete
  6. OH MY GOODNESS...not only is this a feast for the stomach and taste buds, but for the eyes of anyone who loves architecture, décor and TURQUOISE! I cannot comment enough on how lovely this home is...you know me, I love FRENCH EVERYTHING, but really, we need to look a little further into ITALIAN LIFE! WONDERFUL POST, JACQULINE!!! Anita

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have enjoyed every detail you have included in your wonderful travel posts. Tonya's home is stunning with an air of sophistication. I loved her fabulous storage for her dishes and cooking pans. WOW!!! I also think you are the sweetest thing to invite the missionaries from your church to enjoy the wonderful meal at Tonya's. I am so impressed with your devotion to your church. I am humbled to be a follower of your blog.

    Hugs,
    Katherine S.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We're all going to be fluent in French and Italian after this fabulous trip! Her home was just beautiful, such attention to detail carrying the obviously loved turquoise throughout. Those pans! Can you imagine cooking for 45 in that kitchen? Love these posts!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am enjoying your trip. I'll be the time flew by.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jacqueline, thank you for sharing the photos of your trip. Antonella's home is gorgeous. I love all the bright colors, but it's the dish room that has me envious. Looks like an amazing trip. ~ Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jacqueline -- loved her home and courtyard. I think I am trading in my red couch for a nice turquoise one. What do you think? Loved her lit dish room too -- want one of these too....How nice of you to share dinner with the missionaries and how interesting that the shops are closed on Sundays. So much fun to be had. Joni

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you so much for this post, I can't tell you what a thrill it is to see my cute son. I am enjoying your descriptions and photos.

    xo, Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a beautiful home! The shopping looks like fun, well, maybe for everyone but the pig:@)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you for the tour of this amazing home & kitchen. I know you had a wonderful time. We had fun just following along. Again, Thanks for sharing!
    Charlene

    ReplyDelete
  15. Grazie for sharing all this with us.. What a fab house and the ceilings and I love the vibrant colors. Your meals look scrumptious.. so i take it it's cacciatora not cacciatore.. learned something. Safe travels.. You look like you hare having a great time. It's so nice that you could provide for the missionaries.. many blessings, marlis

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, her house/kitchen/china closet are all fabulous! Wow--those are certainly some HUGE cooking pans! And I think it's so awesome that you guys cooked for the missionaries there working in Italy--they work so hard/give up so much to serve like that!

    Hugs/blessings,
    Lana

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your posts allow me to escape my every day circumstances and enjoy something beautiful. Thank you!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for sharing the beauty...love those blue couches too! Have fun at lake Powell. :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. I wrote you a long comment last night and I hit a key and it disappeared. So frustrating so here I am again. What a delightful time you had. I love the beautiful home -turquoise is so striking. Love finding out about the Amarena Fabbri online. Wouldn't the jar make a darling lamp if you had a blue and white kitchen! The markets are so inviting and to learn to cook several dishes there! How neat! Interesting about the feminine and masculine chicken dish. Didn't know that. How nice to have church fellowship. Bet those guys enjoyed their lunch.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are the highlight of my day! Leave a comment and then I can come and visit your blog. Have a wonderful day! Unfortunately I have had to block anonymous comments, hope you understand.

Follow me on Instagram